Improvement in stools or tables



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N PETERS, PHUTO-LITMOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D. l:v

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Letters Patent No. 113,266, dated April 4, 1871; antedated March 24, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN STODLS OR TABLES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pari: o the same.

Nature and Objects of the Invention.

My invention belongs to that class of stools or tables, and other like articles, so constructed that the seat and supports can be folded together into a tint and compact mass or shook, for convenient transportation and storage.

.Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

The drawing represents the different parts of a stool, but the same mode of construction may be ern- 'ployed in making a chair, table, or other like article.

Figure 1 represents an oblique side view of the stool as adjusted for use.

Figure 2 represents the whole folded, with the seat down.

Figure 3 represents the whole folded, with the seat uppermost.

Figure 4 represents a front View of the wholewith the seat down and the supports spread out their full length.

Figure 5 represents a side view of the same with the seat uppermost.

The same letters represent the same parts in each gure.

General Description.

A is a seat -or platform, which should be made suhstautially, that it` may support the weight for which Ait is intended, and afford adequate rest for the hinges upon which the supports swing.

To give strength to this I iix firmly on the unden side a cleat or bleek, a, upon which and on the under side the hinges b b for the supports are screwed. These hinges may be fastened directlyy upon the seat A, and the cleata omitted; but I prefer to employ the cleat, and nd it adds greatly to the strength and durability of the article when placed so that the grain (if of wood) runs at right angles to the grain of the seat.

The supports B and C, each to swing ou one of the hinges b b, and each terminating in two legs or feet, are so constructed that they may cross each other about midway of their length, andat the crossing, one may match into the other with all their respective appliances.

The two legs c c of support B are so far asunder as 'to permit support O to pass between them in the act of folding or opening.

The space between the legs, as it approaches a point midway of the length ot' B, assumes the form of a slot, el, with parallel sides, the upper part or top of which is in a line at right angles with the sides, but so beveled in the thickness of the wood that the slot d is longer on the inside than on theoutside of the support. This bevel should he at such au angle that support O will, when adjusted for use, bear evenly upon all parts of the thickness ofl the wood of B at this point. y

For greater'strength and support I place across B, at a point coinciding with the said beveled top ot' said slot (l, a cleat'1 c, also beveled in the saine plane or angle. When adjusted for use, support G will bear directly and evenly upon said top of the slot d and the beveled or lower side of the cleat e. Iliecleat e serves the further purpose ot' strengthening the support B at its weakest point Support O terminates, like B, in two legs, ff, which branch from the body of O at a point about threefourths the length from the upper end.

About the middle of O two shoulders, g g, are formed, in and at right angles to the sides, by cutting the sides down, so as to form from or iu the body of O the bar h, Vot' a width to iit the slot (l in B. These shoulders are beveled at such an angle, and are at such a point in O that, when the supports are adj ust-ed for use, the top oi thelslot d in 'B will bear evenly upon the whole thickness of the wood of O.

The section ol' support C, above designated as the bar la., extendsi'rom' said shoulders g g ou the outside a distance equal to the thickness oi' support B and the lock-bar, hereinafter described.

On the outside of the bar h, and at a point about one inch from the lower line of intersection of snpports B and O, when adj usted for use, I place aclcat, i, the upper side of which is beveled at thc saine angle with the shoulders g g. 'lhis cleat 'i may he extended downward, so as to give greater strength to O, especiaily at the point of bifurcation of the legs ff.

On one of the legs of support B I swingr a lockbar, j, of length suicient to extend across and lock upon the other leg, 'and of such thickness as to fit iirmly upon the top of cleat c". per edge beveled at the same angle as the top of the slot d and the bottom of the cleat e, and is swung on the leg of B at a point as far below the said bottoni lof cleat e as the thickness of support O at the bar h.

On the other leg of support'B I fix a catch or but-- ton, lt, or some other device, for holding the lock-bar j in place.

' Mode of Operation.

When the supports B and C are fixed upon the This lock-bar has its npseat or the cleat a, by means of the hinges b b, the lower extremities are brought together, and' C is pressed down betweenA the feet of B until the bar 7a. is brought to bear against the top of the slot d and the bottom of the cleat c, and, at the same time, those parts of support B which form the sides of the slot el will bear upon the shoulders g g in support C; the lock-barj is then lswung upon its pivot, and its beveled edge brought to bear upon the outer side of bar h in support C, and its outer side brought over andagainst the beveled edge of cleat fi, when it is held in place by turning the button k, or other device. The two supports are thus looked in position and form a rm and substantial rest for the seat A. Swing'the lock-har j from the above position, separate the supports B and C, fold B back in a line with the cleat a or the under side of the seat A, vand fold O down npon it, and the Whole vis in compact form for transportation or storing.

When folded, any mode of fastening its parts to` gether may be adopted. i I fix a headed catch in support B, which passes through a slot Vin C, and, being turned, fastens the parts together securely. I have also arranged a handle for carrying the stool; but for bar h, slot the shoulders g g, lock-barj, cleats e and c', andthe button k, constructed and operating substantially asand for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

A: O. CRANE.

Witnesses:

ILLIAM STANDISH, P. A. COLLINS. 

